Dietary bioavailability of uranium to a model freshwater invertebrate

Environmental Science and Technology
By: , and 

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Abstract

Uranium (U) mining increases environmental exposures. Understanding how U is taken up by organisms can aid in evaluating the potential for bioaccumulation and toxicity. Although the importance of aqueous geochemical speciation is well recognized for U bioavailability after dissolved exposures, far less is known about the processes controlling U bioavailability after dietary exposures. This study characterizes the biogeochemical drivers of dietary U uptake in the freshwater snail Lymnaea stagnalis in laboratory experiments. Solids tested included benthic diatoms pre-exposed to dissolved U(VI), soils from contaminated U mine sites, and colloidal hydrous ferric oxide (HFO) synthesized in the presence of dissolved U(VI) or with U complexed by natural organic matter (NOM). Results showed that U was bioavailable from all solids. Uranium assimilation efficiency (AE), a proxy for dietary U bioavailability, varied among solids. AE was lowest for the U-contaminated soils (25 ± 17%) and highest for the U-laden diatoms (71 ± 13%). AE varied slightly among HFO preparations, suggesting modest influences of NOM and iron on U bioavailability. Increases in dietary U exposures reduced feeding rates, and the extent of feeding inhibition appeared inversely related to U bioavailability. The high U assimilation and range of bioavailability have implications for toxicity risks inferred without considering dietary uptake.

Publication type Article
Publication Subtype Journal Article
Title Dietary bioavailability of uranium to a model freshwater invertebrate
Series title Environmental Science and Technology
DOI 10.1021/acs.est.5c05140
Volume 59
Issue 31
Publication Date July 28, 2025
Year Published 2025
Language English
Publisher ACS Publications
Contributing office(s) Geology, Minerals, Energy, and Geophysics Science Center, National Research Program - Central Branch
Description 11 p.
First page 16641
Last page 16651
Additional publication details